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Hello! Today we have a really fun interview with Tera Lynn Childs, whose new book Sweet Shadows (Medusa Girls #2) is out today!  I really liked Sweet Venom, the first book in the series, and am so excited that the sequel is finally out. The series is about three triplets who are the descendants of Medusa and is a great mix of adventure, angst and mythology. Add Sweet Shadows to your Goodreads shelf here. Please enjoy the interview!

Describe Sweet Venom/The Medusa trilogy Twitter style in 140 characters or less.

Triplet, monster-hunting descendants of Medusa.

You have a degree in Historic Conservation. That's very different from writing. What prompted the switch to writing or had you always been a writer?

No, I never considered writing as a career. My degree in Historic Preservation is actually partly responsible for helping me figure out I wanted to be a writer. During my thesis defense, one of my advisors said, "Tera, you are a very effective writer." Then he told me to cut half of the first part of my thesis, but the compliment stuck with me. It gave me the confidence to believe that maybe I could be a writer.

Your books have a lot of mythology in them. What about mythology appeals to you?

Everything. I have always loved everything about ancient cultures, but ancient Greece and Greek mythology most of all. I think it's the universal themes, plots, and characters that mythology has to offer that makes it so fun as a writer to play around with.

Are all of the creatures you describe in Sweet Venom real mythological creatures? Did you have to do a lot of research to find them?

Yes (mostly) and yes. I have the bestiary at theoi.com on internet speed dial. Almost all of my creatures are either directly from mythology (hydras, centaurs, griffins) or composites of mythological creatures (hybrids that are usually half-human, half-monster). Only a few did I actually make up, like the bear that attacks Grace at the end of Sweet Venom.

Gretchen, Greer and Grace all have very different personalities. Was it difficult to write from three very different points of views? Was one sister easier to write than the others?

The fact that they are so different made it easier to write. I tried really hard to make their voices unique since they are all first person and they are triplets. I think Greer might actually be the easiest to write because she's so... pretentious. She always sounds serious and mature, so a lot of her tone comes across in the vocabulary she uses.

If you were a mythological character/creature, who/what would you be and why?

A mermaid, for sure. I love the water and the ocean and would love to be able to spend even more time underwater, exploring.

I love all of the characters in the book but I admit that I am really fascinated by Thane. He's totally hiding something and I want to know what it is! Do we learn more about Thane and where he comes from in the next book?

Thane is an enigma. He definitely has secrets and I'm going to be a little evil and tell you that you'll learn a little more about him in Sweet Shadows, but you'll learn everything in Sweet Legacy next Fall. :)

Sweet Venom ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. What hints can you give us about book 2?

In book 2... the girls learn more about their destiny. They learn a lot more about the monster abyss, about themselves, and about each other. There are three kidnappings, two kisses, one break-up, one death, and one city-wide search for someone who doesn't want to be found.

Last but very important - cake or pie and what kind?

Cake. Vegan, red velvet cupcakes with vegan cream cheese frosting and blueberries on top. (I made these for July 4th this year and they were AMAZING.)

Thank you sooooo much, Tera! I can't wait to read Sweet Shadows!

Thank you! I hope you love Sweet Shadows!

We hope you enjoyed the interview.  If you haven't read Sweet Venom yet, you really should. Then pick up Sweet Shadows immediately!  :) If you'd like to learn more about Tera and her books, you can find her online in the following places:

Website
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook

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Category: Young Adult Fantasy
Keywords: Siblings, family, mythology
Format: Hardcover, eBook
Source: Library


Thuy's Review:

I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I picked up Sweet Venom. It had a great cover and I couldn’t resist picking it up. I’ve always been a fan of Greek mythology though my memory for the myths and the many gods is rusty at best. But the idea of monster fighting triplets descended from Medusa sounded too fun to pass up.

And fun it was! With a good mix of Greek mythology, action, romance, and humor, Sweet Venom is an entertaining and fast read. The book is told from the three POVs of Grace, Gretchen, and Greer. I am often wary of books told in multiple POVs. In this

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